Bowties and Bracers
by we-are-boldly-going
Summary: When ten year old Daniel spies a pretty blue Police Box outside his window one morning he never suspects what was hiding behind the doors nor the funny man with the bowtie and bracers who could show him the stars.
1. Funny Man with the Bowtie and Bracers

He was staring out of his bedroom window when he sees it.

Interest peaking up he craned his neck to get a better look at it through the window. He only noticed it because he was sure it hadn't been there before now. A Police Box sitting right there across the street. It was tall and blue, not showing a single chip or mark on the exterior. It was a very pretty thing and yet people were just walking past it. They kept walking and walking and walking and no one paid any attention to the pretty blue box sitting on the pavement. He wondered why no one else was paying any attention to the pretty blue box, but before he could ponder the idea that it was an invisible blue box only he could see he was called downstairs. With one last curious look at the blue box he pushed himself to his feet and went downstairs.

"I thought they'd gotten rid of all the Police Boxes," he said during dinner later that night as the blue box kept entering his thoughts.

The sound of the silverware on china paused as he looked up to find both his parents eyeing him peculiarly.

"They did- there's barely a Police Box left in all of England, you know that."

"But I saw one earlier today- outside my window," He insists to his father, nodding his head vigorously.

His mother gives him a small smile filled with a pity of sorts that borders on being condescending. "Your eyes must have been playing tricks on you; it's been a busy day. Now eat your vegetables, Danny dear."

The table went back to their unusually quiet meal and the unfairness of it all suddenly weighed down on him. He rolled his baby sweetcorn across the plate with his fork with some force because it's just so typical of them, isn't it? They are willing to believe anything that his sister said to them no problem, but as soon as there is a possibility of a stray Police Box they wave it off.

Just thinking about his sister reminded him of the empty chair to his left- the empty chair to his left which suddenly feels all the more empty. And it makes him feel like screaming at the top of his lungs.

"It's Daniel, by the way," he corrected them during the silence moment later which was just _begging_ to be broken. "I told you earlier- I don't want you calling me that anymore, _Danny._" He pursed his lips and scrunched up his nose a little just to show his distaste as he said it. "That name's for babies."

Both his parents shared a look of surprise. "But you mustn't mean that, dear. You always liked it when your sister called you Danny."

He turned up his nose and crossed his arms over his chest all in one motion, his head shaking a little. "Not anymore," he huffs. "I don't care."

He doesn't mention how he does in fact care because his sister was the only one who understood him properly. How they used to spend lots of time together playing all kinds of games, but that was all before she went to some posh school and left him behind. She didn't care about him anymore so why should he care about her?

She was off being all clever leaving him at home by himself to go to boring school with boring people.

He goes in search of the Police Box again the next day because he needs to see it up close. It was still sitting there on the pavement and still no one paid any attention to it. There was an electric feeling in his fingertips as he drew closer to the pretty box. He just needed to touch it and so reaching out and resting his hand on the blue wood he inspected the box closely. It was a very pretty box, all nice and blue and there was not a single mark on it.

Removing his hand he stared at it curiously as if he was about to sprout another finger and yet nothing happens. And so he starts to circle the box a few times, wondering what on earth it was doing there. The pretty blue box had never been there before and yet there it was standing right in front of his green eyes. Something in his brain as telling him that maybe he should just walk away again, but it was such a pretty and curious box. It was like it was just begging for attention.

Slowly reaching out he wrapped his fingers around the handle and pushed just like the sign said- but nothing happens.

Frowning as he took a step back he titled his head a little as he looked at the blue box. They were only supposed to be locked if someone was in there waiting for the police to come and get them. That idea should scare him because bad men were locked in there, but this was _his_ Police Box now and no one else was allowed to be in there thank you very much.

And so stepping towards the box again he reached out and fist and knocked loudly.

And he waits.

The air is still during the moments where he is standing there, arms crossed and foot tapping incessantly against the pavement. He looks around when suddenly there was the sound of the Police Box door opening.

Panic fluttered in his chest as he suddenly ducked around the side of the box, back pressing against the blue wood. Peeking around the corner he sees a head poke out through the doors and he watches curiously as a man steps out. He was a tall, think kind of man with a bowtie and bracers he had never seen before. He watches on bated breath before the strange man vanished back inside the box and closes the door again.

Stepping back round the front he tilted his head again before raising his fist and knocking again. But this time he didn't run as the door opens again and the man stands there in front of him.

"What are you doing in a Police Box?" He questions as he looks at the strange man in the bowtie. "Aren't bad people supposed to be in Police Boxes? Are you a bad man?"

The man blinks a little as he looked at him.

"I live here," the man responded.

He frowned for a little as he tried to peer past the man in the doorway, craning his neck to try and get a better look behind him. "You live in a _Police Box_?"

"Yes," the man responds with a smile at him. "I live in a Police Box." Then he pauses and looks around as though he's looking for someone. But then he turns back to him with a childish gleam in his eyes as he crouches down to look him in the face. "But this is no ordinary Police Box, you see. It's a very special Police Box."

"How come?" He asks with a slight frown on his face, looking intently at the stranger with some curiosity.

The stranger beams and stands up again, straightening the red bowtie with one hand before stepping aside. "Why don't I show you?"

He pauses outside the door, exchanging a look with the stranger in the bowtie and bracers before. The thought of what his parents told him about staying away from strange men as they might want to hurt him, but this strange man didn't seem to be _that_ bad. He nods his head before curiously stepping past the stranger to move through the doors and nothing could have prepared him for what sight met his eyes.

It was huge.

Everything was so pretty. A large console sat in the middle of the room covered in all kinds of funny things and flashing lights. With amazement he walks towards it. Reaching out he rests a hand on the console, eyes shining as he tried to take everything in around him. Little lights flickered in front of him and other things whirred and spun around almost like the machine was alive.

"Impressive isn't it."

He turns to find the funny man in the bowtie and bracers leaning against the doorframe with a grin on his face.

"What is it?" He asked with amazement written all over his young face. "Because it's bigger on the inside."

There was a look in the man's eyes which told him that he had almost been waiting for him to say those words as he moved towards him, giving his nose a light tap with one finger as a reward. "_Yes_."

He watched as the man moved past him towards the console, eyes never leaving him in fear he would miss something else amazing if he did. "This is the TARDIS. Time And Relative Dimensions In Space, it's a time machine. I can go anywhere in any time anytime I want with just a snap of my fingers. Well, not literally _a snap of my fingers_ but you get the general idea."

The man beamed like a child as he flicked a few buttons on the console before turning back to him. "So what's your name then?"

"Danny," he responded automatically, quickly realizing his mistake. "I mean Daniel. Who are you?"

The man grinned. "Well hello Daniel, I'm the Doctor." The funny man could almost sense that he was about to say something else and before he could a hand was waved. "Just the Doctor."

"Doctor of what?" He responded curiously as he took a tentative step towards him. "I mean, you have to be a doctor of something or you wouldn't be a doctor, right?"

His words received him another tap on the nose as the Doctor beamed at him. "You're a smart lad, Daniel. I'm not really a doctor of anything. Well I suppose I could be a doctor of time and space if you want me to be. I've also been a doctor before, blimey that was a weird day."

Tilting his head as the Doctor frowned a little, he watched as he did some dramatic twirl on his feet to turn back to the console, flicking a few more switches and pumping some leaver. "So Daniel, ho old are you then?"

"I'm ten," he responded proudly, puffing his chest out a little proud of his age. "How old are you?"

The Doctor gave him a smile, eyes travelling over his short frame for a minute before turning his head back to the console. "Very impressive, but I've lost track of how old I am. I've been around for an awfully long time." He could swear there was a hint of sadness in the Doctor's eyes for a moment, but it was quickly gone again. "Anyway Danny boy, want to have a trip?"

"Trip?"

"Yes a trip. I have a time machine, we can go anywhere you want."

His eyes shone a little at his words, gaze travelling around the big blue box again. "Anywhere? You mean we could go back to the dinosaurs?"

The Doctor smiled with a nod of his head. "If that's what you fancy. We can go absolutely anywhere you want in all of time and space. We could go to the beginning of civilization or the end of time. We could watch cities and communities grow and die in only a few moments and that's not even the best bit. There is a whole universe out there just waiting for us to go and explore so what do you say? Want to tag along?"

Even he couldn't stop the grin from growing across his face as he thought about it in his head. So he vigorously nodded his head with a beaming grin planted across his young features. "Where can we start?"

"Anywhere you want," and with that the funny man with the bowtie, bracers and the time machine flashed him a grin before yanking down on the big leaver in the middle of the console and the TARDIS jumped into action.


	2. Museum Tours

_**First off I would like to say thanks to everyone who had read, favorited of followed this little project of mine. Secondly I would like to say that there will be a new chapter every day. Thirdly and finally I would just like to say please enjoy and make sure to leave me a review on what you think ~x~**_

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He watched in utter amazement as the funny man with the bowtie ran around the console. He had been told to sit down and not touch anything after he had tried to push a bid red button which apparently he wasn't supposed to touch or something bad would happen. And so he did as he was told, sitting down on a rather comfy chair, little legs swinging off the side as he watched the incredible mad man with the pretty blue box. The way he ran around his console sometimes muttering encouragement was amazing and even he couldn't stop his eyes from shining with wonder as he watched him from his perch on the comfy chair.

"Where are we going?" He piped up, tilting his head a little more to the side. The funny mad had never told him where they were going. All he had promised that it was going to be amazing and the best thing he had ever seen.

He believed him.

After pulling a big leaver on the console the Doctor turns back to face him with a childish grin planted on his face. "I told you already Danny boy- somewhere amazing."

Pouting a little and wiggling in the chair which as much too big for his small body, he watched as the Doctor went back to dancing around the console. It was like every step and every small twirl was perfectly rehearsed in his head and just staring at him was enough to immerse him.

Then the pretty blue jerked almost sending him from the big chair he was sat on. Clutching onto the sides tightly with slightly shaking hands his eyes widened a little with fright. "Was that supposed to happen?"

"Yes," the Doctor responded quickly after an uncertain pause.

"Was that a lie?"

"Of course not."

But not even the funny man's words could put him off as he lessened his grip on the cream coloured chair which reminded him of the wallpaper put up in his house. The blue box had finally come to a stop, but he didn't get up until the Doctor said he could. He knew his manners and when he was told to do something he would do it until he was told he didn't have to anymore. That was how his mother had brought him up and nothing was going to change that.

Watching curiously as the funny man in the bowtie and bracers walked towards the door he craned his neck a little to get a better look at him. But the man paused and turned back to him. "Are you coming then?"

Nodding his head vigorously he hopped up from the chair before quickly walking around the console to stand behind of the Doctor- the big blue door almost daunting in front of him.

"Where are we?"

"Haven't a clue."

A frown creased his forehead as he looked curiously at the tall, lanky man in front of him. "But I thought you knew what you were doing."

The Doctor could have almost looked a little offended at his words. Straightening out his bowtie with one hand he looked down at him with those bright green eyes which looked much too old for his face. "I do know what I'm doing- I'm the Doctor. The Doctor always knows what he's doing. I told you I would take you somewhere amazing and outside those doors is something amazing. So come on then Danny boy."

With a beaming smile from the funny man and another tap on the nose he watched as he opened the door and stepped through it.

He found himself pausing outside the door for a moment, a cautious glance sent behind him at the pretty console behind him. He was a little nervous, but he didn't let it show on his young face as he pushed open the big blue door and followed the Doctor outside.

However it was nothing amazing like he promised.

They found themselves standing in what seemed to be an art museum which you would find on Earth. He found himself scrunching his nose up a little as he sent a glance towards the funny man with the bowtie who was standing in front of some kind of boring painting of a landscape.

"This isn't amazing," he huffed loudly, folding his arms angrily over his small chest. "This is a boring museum."

"This is no ordinary museum," echoed the response as the tall, lanky man beckoned him over with one finger.

Obediently he walked over, standing on his tippy toes to get a better look at the landscape he was looking at. It was a landscape picture of a corn field; the sun was shining over the field with a few clouds littering the sky. He supposed it was a good picture; it was nothing special in his eyes.

"What do you see?" The Doctor asked him, an amused look in his eyes as he glanced down at him.

He shrugged. "A picture."

The Doctor smiled at him. "But is it?"

A frown creased over his face again as he peered curiously at the Doctor. What was that supposed to mean? He hated it when people were never clear with him about things, his parents liked to do that to him just to annoy him. He was about to ask, but the funny man with the bowtie and the bracers had already walked off to another painting.

Scowling a little he walked after him, arms still crossed over his chest. He was promised something amazing, but this was just a stupid museum. He wanted to see all kind of amazing things and different planets and funny creatures, but instead he was walking around a museum.

Walking towards a really big painting of a New York City landscape from around the 1960's, he tilted his head at it as he looked. The painting reached from a least one and half meters above his head all the way down to his feet so it was almost touching the ground. The landscape was set at night and he supposed it was a very nice painting, but he would prefer if he was on another planet looking out at the stars.

"Ah New York, good choice." The voice announced the arrival of the Doctor as he stood beside him with a glimmer in his eyes.

"It's just a painting," he huffed as he turned his attention back to the big painting.

The Doctor didn't say anything and instead just looked at him with a smile on his face. It was a little weird but he decided to push it off as he took a step closer to the painting so his nose was almost touching it. There was something in the background of the painting which caught his attention and required a better look, but even squinting he couldn't see it properly. He really wanted to know what it was. Reaching out with one hand he moved to touch the spot he was trying to inspect, but before his hand could reach the canvas the Doctor pushed him from behind and he tripped and fell over.

Instead of hitting the canvas he found himself falling right through it, hitting the cold pavement on the other side.

Eyes widening with amazement as he scrambled to his feet, he stared with utter bemusement as the tall, lanky man stepped through the painting himself to stand beside him on the New York pavement.

"The holographic museum of New New York, it's famous you know. Well I suppose you _wouldn't_ know that. Every single painting is a holograph of the real place, a doorway you can just walk through and enjoy for yourself. None of it is real of course; it's all just clever holograms." He almost looked pleased with himself as he ran one finger under each brace holding his trousers up. "So what do you think- this amazing enough for you?"

He couldn't even form a proper response as he looked around with complete wonder. Everything just seemed to shimmer and sparkle in front of him as he took a pace forward almost cautiously as if he was about to fall straight through the pavement. Maybe he would and this was just all some dream he was having and he was really asleep in his bed back home. Perhaps he would just fall down some big hole like he was Alice heading straight to Wonderland.

Amazement evident in his eyes as he gazed at the funny man with the bowtie a grin formed on his face. "So what can we do here?" He asked in an almost squeaky voice he tried to cover up. "I wanna see _everything._ Can I see everything? Please?"

The Doctor smiled a ruffled up his hair causing him to scowl slightly, but the scowl didn't last long as the wonder took over again. "We can do anything you want. How about we get ice cream? I've always wanted to eat ice cream at night."

He wrinkled his nose up a little. "I want more than just ice cream," he responded with a slight pout on his young face.

"Ice cream and then we can go and eat it on the top of the Empire State Building. I've heard that the view from up there is amazing, something definitely worth seeing. If not I can always take you back home…"

He knew he was messing around with him from the smile on his face at the time, but that didn't stop him from worrying a little. And so he shook his head vigorously.

"Can I have chocolate chip?" He asked hopefully, green eyes almost pleading as he looked at him.

"That sounds delightful."

The funny man in the bowtie and the bracers offered him a hand and he eagerly took it in one of his own, clinging onto him as he was led off through 1960's New York to get some ice cream ready to eat on top of the Empire State Building.

He had been promised amazing things and this was certainly amazing.


End file.
